Average MPH

[indysteel]

Your fear of dogs is completely understandable. I've not even been attacked, and they scare me. Remember that more often then not, you will just be chased. Remember to yell at them to go home or get back. Stop your bike if you must until they retreat. You can do this!!! Just keep your eyes peeled. Have fun on Saturday. I haven't done that one before. Sadly, I haven't done a CIBA ride since last July.

Here's another tip: keep the maps from the rides and note what color/shape Dan Henry's it used. Then you can go back and do the route on your own if you like it.

[gabriellesca]

Great to read this thread - I'm a super slow-poke but I don't ride as often as I would like thanks to a bum ankle. Today was only my second ride of this year and boy did those first 6 or 7 miles kill me. In the end I did 21 miles in about 1 hour 39 minutes - and I typically average 11 or 12 mph.

I have trained with a team for a century with Team in Training. I was 50 pounds overweight on a hybrid and had never ridden in my life - I upgraded to a great Trek road bike but in the 17 weeks of training for that century I think I finished last of a team of 25 each week. That helped me to not worry about being dropped and not really care how slow I was. I would get so excited just to finish, speed never seemed to be a thing for me. On the actual century I averaged 14 mph for the first 50 and literally like 10 for the last 50. It took me 9:47 (with stops) but I was so happy I finished I didn't care.

Riding with a group is very tough - I enjoy riding alone now except I get very nervous about mileage getting too high (being in remote areas) and riding roads I don't know. But I do find when I have riders around me and when I was on the team it did push me at times when I wouldn't have. And my coach HAMMERED into me to put myself in my biggest gear and push push down the hills - sure does push your average up - but I don't think it counts as much.

[owlice]

gabriellesca, thanks very much for your post! I, too, am a slow rider, and am working on getting faster so I can do a century. You give me hope!